No layoffs, service cuts as Kingston OKs budget

KINGSTON — It was as close to being a love feast as city politics will ever get: The Common Council voted unanimously to approve a 2013 budget that is all but identical to the current one.

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By JEREMIAH HORRIGAN

recordonline.com

By JEREMIAH HORRIGAN

Posted Dec. 5, 2012 at 2:00 AM

By JEREMIAH HORRIGAN
Posted Dec. 5, 2012 at 2:00 AM

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KINGSTON — It was as close to being a love feast as city politics will ever get: The Common Council voted unanimously to approve a 2013 budget that is all but identical to the current one.

In praising Mayor Shayne Gallo and one another for the new budget, city lawmakers pointed to a number of bullets that had been successfully dodged: No layoffs of city workers had been imposed, no services had been cut and the state-imposed property tax cap had been met.

"On the whole, this is a very conservative but sound document," said Majority Leader Thomas Hoffay. "It's one we can live with for a year."

Overall tax levy will rise to $16.8 million from $16.2 million, an increase stemming from a $565,000 jump in welfare costs. While Ulster County has offered to assume welfare costs from the city, that won't be possible until 2014. When combined with welfare costs, the general city tax rate will increase 7.6 percent for homeowners and 5.4 percent for businesses. Those rates are deceiving, in light of a 3 percent decline in the total value of all city properties in the past year.

Hoffay told the council chamber that a home valued at $150,000 will pay on average $3.63 less in city taxes next year, while a business valued at $250,000 will pay on average $13.59 more in taxes.

Lawmakers voiced concern about the depletion of the general fund balance. But Tuesday was not a night for fretting. When the vote was called and Alderman-at-Large Jim Noble slammed the gavel, three bullets had been dodged and all was well with the world of Kingston city politics.